Pencil cleaner



G. L. GAGE PENCIL CLEANER Sept. 29, 1964 Filed June 11, 1962 6eolye A.609e,

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United States Patent Ofi ice 3,150,398 Patented Sept. 29, 1964 ars3,15%,398 PENClL CLEANER George L. Gage, 899 Victoria Ave, Los Angales,Calif. Fired June 11, 1962, Ser. No. 291,391 8 illairns. (Q1. 210) Thisinvention relates generally to pencil cleaning devices and relates moreparticularly to devices for easily cleaning the ends of pencils thathave just been sharpened.

While the invention has particular utility in connection with thecleaning of newly sharpened points of lead pencils and is shown anddescribed in such connection, it is to be understood that its utility isnot confined thereto.

As is well known, there is the problem with newly sharpened leadpencils, the sharpening resulting in a certain amount of finely powderedlead getting on the adjacent portion of the pencil. Should the pencilthen be used a certain amount of this powdered lead will get on theusers fingers and in many cases will get onto the paper being wor edwith, so that that paper becomes smudged. Draftsmen find this problemparticularly bad when working with large drawings and it is necessary tosharpen the pencils used a great many times before the drawing iscompleted.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a devicethat may be kept close at hand whereby the finely powdered dust on thesharpened end of a newly sharpened pencil may be easily and quicklyremoved.

it is another object of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter having a chemical free cleaning element operably held in aholder therefor.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter having a cleaning element that may be easily and quicklyinserted into the holder and easily and quickly removed therefrom forwashing or otherwise cleaning same or for replacement purposes.

it is a further object of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter having means for releasably retaining the cleaning element inthe holder.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device ofthis character wherein the holder is hollow and the axis thereof isupwardly and forwardly inclined at a convenient angle for use with thelarge end faces upwardly.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device ofthis character wherein the lower smaller end of the holder is open andthe cleaning element is so arranged in the holder that a pencil pointmay be pushed through the cleaning element into the smaller opening andretracted, thereby wiping said point clean without rorating the pencil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterhaving a base for supporting a pencil sharpener in close proximity tothe holder in which the cleaning element is disposed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is extremely simple in construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufiiciently referred to in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings, which represent oneembodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons willunderstand that variations may be made without departing from theprinciples disclosed, and I contemplate the employment of anystructures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

516. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view with a portion broken awayand shown in section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FlG. 4 is a top plan view of the cleaning element laid out fiat; and

FIG. 5 is an alternative arrangement.

Referring more particularly to FlGS. 1, 2 and 3, the device is shown ashaving a rectangular base with rounded corners, there being a dependingperipheral supporting flange 11. Flange i1 is inclined downwardly andout wardly and the lower edge thereof is adapted to rest on the top of atable or other support.

Adjacent one end of the base is an upstanding boss or lug 12 havingrounded upper corners 14 and being arcuately curved at i5 intermediatesaid corners and providing an arcuate top surface intermediate the sideedges of the boss which is generally inclined towards a front side ofthe base and upwardly away from the adjacent upper surface of the base.The base with its flange and the boss or lug 12 may be of any suitablematerial, such as a relatively stiff or rigid plastic. It is to beunderstood, of course, that other materials may be used.

Boss 12 supports a holder 16 for a cleaning element, indicated generallyat 17.

Holder 16 is hollow and is frusto-conical in shape with the large andsmall ends open, said holder being cradled at a point spaced from itslarger open end on the curved portion 15 of the boss 12 and securedthereto by any suitable means. As shown, the holder is of plastic andmay be attached to the boss 12 by means of any suitable adhesive, therebeing various well known adhesives which will efiectively bind or securethe parts together.

The axis of holder 16 is inclined upwardly towards the front of the baseso that the upper large open end 13 of the holder is upwardly facing ata convenient angle of use and the smaller open end 19 is at the bottom.

There are a plurality of flanges 21 at the upper end of the holder, saidflanges extending inwardly a limited distance of the inner surface ofthe frusto-conical wall of the device and provide lips for releasablyretaining the cleaning element 17 within said holder. Flanges 21 may beintegral with the holder or they may be separate elements or partssecured to the holder by an adhesive or other suitable means.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning element is semicircular in shapewhen laid out flat and has a semicircular notch 24 in the diametricaledge 26 intermediate the ends thereof. I There is a backing 27 of anysuitable character and attached to a pile of fibers or filaments or thelike 28 at one side of the backing.

In order to insert the cleaning element into the holder 16 said elementis formed into a frusto-conical shape with the diametrical edge portionat opposite sides of the notch in contact with each other, orsubstantially in such contact. The cleaning element, when thus formed,is inserted into the holder and it will be noted that the length of saidelement when formed into the frusto-conical shape is substantially thesame as the length of the holder from the under sides of the fianges orlips 21 to the bottom or smaller end thereof. When thus installed in theholder the fibers or pile of fibers of the cleaning ele ment willoverlap at the bottom, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. Flanges or lips 21will overlie upper edge portions of the backing 27 of the cleaningelement when formed in the frusto-conical shape and disposed in theholder, so that said cleaning element will be effectively retained inthe holder but will be readily removable therethe overlapping fibers sothat there is no need to twist or turn the pencil to easily and quicklyremove the pow dered lead deposited on said sharpened ends during thesharpening operation. It will also be noted that the sharpened end maybe effectively cleaned on the fibers inside the cone at any point. Thepencils thus inserted into the device may, of course, be readilywithdrawn and will be clean when pulled from the device.

It is to be understood, of course, that the cleaning element may beotherwise constructed, the important thing being to have a surface onwhich a pencil point may be easily wiped to effectively remove the leadparticles thereon after a sharpening operation.

Adjacent the ends opposite the boss 12 the base is provided with acircular recess into which the base 32 of a pencil sharpener 33 may beplaced. Thus the pencil sharpener 33 wfll be supported by the base 10 inclose proximity to the cleaning device.

In thearrangement shown in FIG. 5, there is an annular flange 35 attheupper, larger end of the holder, said flange extending inwardly of theupper edge of said holder and functions to retain the cleaning or wipingelement in said holder. This flange is shown as being integral with thefrusto-conical Wall of said holder although it maybe a separate elementsecured to the holder by an adhesive or other suitable means.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from theforegoing description and it will be apparent that various changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof orsacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbeforedescribed being merely by way of example.

I claim: 1. A device of the class described, comprising: (A) a base ofgenerally rectangular shape; (B) an upstanding boss on said base havingan arcuate top surface intermediate the side edges thereof, said surfacebeing inclined generally towards one side of the be. e and away from itsadjacent surface; v (C)Va hollow receptacle of frusto-conical shape openat the ends, the receptacle being secured to the arc'uate surface ofsaid boss, the axis of said receptacle being inclined upwardly towardssaid one side and with the large open end facing upwardly at aconvenient angle for the user, the curvature of the arcuate top surfaceof said boss conforming to the exterior. shape of that portion of thereceptacle received on said arcuate surface;

(D) a plurality of annularly spaced lips extending a h'mited distanceinwardly of the upper open end of the receptacle;

(E) and a cleaning element of semicircular shape when flat beforeinserting in the receptacle, said cleaning element having a semicircularnotch in the diametrical side, the diametrical edge portions at opposite sides of said notch being of equal length, said cleaning elementhaving (a) a backing and (b) a relatively deep pile of fibers attachedat one side of said backing;

(F) said cleaning element being formed into a frustoconical shape openat the ends and with the diametri by the backing at s id smaller end,the inwardly extending lips of said receptacle overlying edge portionsof the large end of the backing to releasably retain said cleaningelement in said receptacle.

2. A device of the class described, comprising:

(A) a base of generally rectangular shape;

(B) an upstanding boss on said base having an arcuate top surfaceintermediate the side edges thereof, said surface being inclinedgenerally towards one side of the base and away from its adjacentsurface;

(C) a hollow receptacle of frusto-conical shape open at the ends, thereceptacle being secured to the arcuate surface of said boss, the axisof said receptacle being inclined upwardly towards said one side andwith the large open end facing upwardly at a convenient angle for theuser;

(D) a plurality of annularly spaced lips extending in- 7 wardly of theupper open end of the receptacle a' limited distance;

(E) and a cleaning element of semicircular shape when fiat beforeinserting in said receptacle, said cleaning element having a notch inthe diametrical side, the diametrical edge portions at opposite sides ofsaid note being of equal length, said cleaning element having (a) abacking V V V (b) and a relatively deep pile of fibers at one side; (Isaid cleaning element being formed into afrusto conical shape with thediametrical edge portions at each side of the notch abuttingeachotherand said cleaning element being disposed the receptacle withthe backing engaging the inner surface of said receptacle with the pileoverlapping in the small end thereof, the inwardly extending lips ofsaid recepta (D) lip means extending inwardly a limited distance oftheupper open end of said receptacle;

(E) and a flexible cleaning element disposed insaid receptacle andhaving (a) a relatively flat backing and (b) wiping material on theinner side, said lip means releasably retaining said cleaning element insaid receptacle. 4. In a pencil cleaning device: (A) a hollow receptaclewith a frusto-conical interior,

said receptacle being open at both ends; (B) a hollow cleaning elementdisposed in said receptacle and conforming to the interior shape of thereceptacle, said cleaning element having a pile on the interior surfaceexposed touse from the open larger end, the pile fibers in the smallerend overp g;

(C) means releasably retaining said cleaning element a in saidreceptacle;

(D) and support means for said receptacle.

5. In a pencil cleaning device:

(A) a hollow receptacle having an open upper end,

said receptacle being upwardly inclined;

(B) a hollow cleaning element insertable into and removable from saidreceptacle through said open upper end, and when inserted having wipingmate rial exposed to said open upper end; 7

(C) and means adjacent the open upper end for releasably retaining saidcleaning element in said receptable.

g 3 6. A cleaning element for cleaning pencils and the like, comprising:

(A) a backing;

(B) a relatively deep pile of fibers on one side of said backing;

(C) said cleaning element being of semicircular shape when flat andhaving a semicircular notch in the diainetrical side, the diametriealedge portions at the opposite sides of said notch being of equal length,said cleaning element being adapted to be formed into a frusto-conicalshape having a large (B) a hollow cleaning element disposed in saidreceptacle and having projecting flexible wiping mate rial on the innerside exposed to said open upper end;

(C) an integral annular flange at the upper end of said receptacleextending a limited distance inwardly from the upper edge of the openupper end for releasably retaining the cleaning element in saidreceptacle;

(D) and means for supporting said receptacle at a point spaced from saidupper edge.

end opening at one end and a relatively smaller end opening at its otherend with the diametrical edge portions abutting each other and thefibers adjacent the smaller end extending into the small end opening 1References lite-d in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,105,715 Sweers Au 14, 1914 7 is e Rimm- 1,710,816 Evans Afr. 30, 1929article or manufacture, comprising. 1 810 837 MacElhone i 16 1931 (A) aflexible generally sheet-like cleaning element 1923611 Bozarth u A 11933 having projecting flexible surface media on one side 5 6 P 18 u1940 upon which the point of a pencil may be wiped, said 29 5 5 1 ti g 31941 cleaning element having longitudinal edges and beg misc; 1945 ingshaped for forming into a generally cone-shape A52 A elofi 1959 withopposite open ends of different size for recep- 5 55 5 Bangnatt f z g1959 tion in a holder with the longitudinal edges abutting 219231020 f gu 1969 and the surface media extending into the smaller 25 3,029,457Hunder et a1 Apr 1962 01 said open ends. 8. In a pencil cleaning device:FOREIGN PATENTS (A) a hollow receptacle having an open upper end de-221,955 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1942 fined by an upper end edge; 1,219,136France Dec. 21, 1959

3. IN A PENCIL CLEANING DEVICE: (A) A BASE HAVING A FRONT SIDE; (B) ANUPSTANDING BOSS ON SAID BASE; (C) A RECEPTACLE OF FRUSTO-CONICAL SHAPEOPEN AT THE ENDS, THE RECEPTACLE BEING SECURED TO SAID BOSS, THE AXIS OFSAID RECEPTACLE BEING INCLINED UPWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID BASE IN THEDIRECTION OF SAID FRONT SIDE AND WITH THE LARGE OPEN END OF THERECEPTACLE AT THE TOP; (D) LIP MEANS EXTENDING INWARDLY A LIMITEDDISTANCE OF THE UPPER OPEN END OF SAID RECEPTACLE; (E) AND A FLEXIBLECLEANING ELEMENT DISPOSED IN SAID RECEPTACLE AND HAVING (A) A RELATIVELYFLAT BACKING AND (B) WIPING MATERIAL ON THE INNER SIDE, SAID LIP MEANSRELEASABLY RETAINING SAID CLEANING ELEMENT IN SAID RECEPTACLE.